1. Field Of The Invention
The invention relates to microorganisms, which grow with 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, and hydroxylate pyrazines or quinoxalines of general formula: ##STR3## as well as to a process for the production of hydroxylated pyrazines or quinoxalines.
2. Background Art
Hydroxylated pyrazines are, for example, important intermediate products for the production of methoxylalkylpyrazines. Methoxyalkylpyrazines are essential components of aromatic substances [Maga and Sizer, J. Agric. Food Chem., 21, (1973), pp. 22 to 30]. Hydroxylated quinoxalines are, for example, important pharmaceutical intermediate products (U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,444).
Thus far, only chemical processes for the production of hydroxylated quinoxalines and hydroxylated pyrazines are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,444 describes a process in which 6-chloro-2-hydroxyquinoxaline-4-oxide is reduced in the presence of a catalyst to 6-chloro-2-hydroxyquinoxaline. But this process has the drawback that it is currently not feasible on an industrial scale.
A chemical process for the production of hydroxylated pyrazines is described, for example, in Karmas and Spoerri, J. Amer. Chem., 74, (1952), pp. 1580 to 1584, in which, for example, 2-hydroxy-5-methylpyrazine is synthesized starting from methylglyoxal and glycinamide hydrochloride. But this process has the drawback that the product is highly contaminated.
Also, studies on the biological catabolism of 2-hydroxypyrazine in Matley and Harle, Biochem. Soc. Trans., 4, (1976), pp. 492 to 493, and studies on 2-pyrazinecarboxamide in Soini and Pakarinen, FEMS Microbiol. Lett., (1985), pp. 167 to 171, are described. But no microorganisms have become known which hydroxylate pyrazines or quinoxalines of general formula I or II (set out herein) and accumulate the latter in a growth medium.